The History of Holy Trinity, Covina

1889 - The Rev. John D. H. Browne, a Pomona resident, having resigned his position as Rector of All Saints in Pasadena due to poor health, begins holding Sunday services in Glendora, Azusa, and Covina. His service is at the earnest solicitation of the Episcopal residents of Covina, principally Mrs. I. I. Cook and her mother, Mrs. J. H. Richmond, and Mrs. J. S. Phillips. He finally confines his work to Covina, so far as Sundays are concerned. These services are held in the Covina Social Hall.

On Trinity Sunday of this year, an Episcopal religious organization is formed and the name "Holy Trinity" is chosen.

1890 - In November, The Rt. Rev. W. F. Nichols, Bishop of California, makes a visitation to this charge. Evening services are held in the Hall and Bishop confirms six persons; Mesdames E. G. Prather and Alice Capp, the daughters of Mrs. I. I. Cook, are among the class.

1891 - The Covina Social Hall is sold and Sunday services are transferred temporarily to Mr. Amon's Hall at no charge, but a permanent place of worship is needed.

General Houghton of San Francisco donates two lots on which to build a church and a building is erected during the year.

A few Sundays after the Church's consecration by Bishop Nichols, an unusually strong wind breaks over the San Gabriel Valley and the Church is blown down and completely destroyed. Services are temporarily held in a  nearby Methodist Church.

1892 - Through the untiring efforts of Rev. Browne and an undaunted congregation, funds are raised and a larger wood frame edifice is built on the same lots. The cost of the project is $1,300 and friends in San Francisco aid the people in Covina in the good work.

1893 - The congregation is given a charge and recognized as an Episcopal Mission by the Rt. Rev. William Ford Nichols, Bishop of California. The Bishop also travels to Covina on December 14th and consecrates the new Church building.

1896 - Now being a Mission in the recently organized Diocese of Los Angeles, it's Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Joseph H. Johnson, uses Holy Trinity Covina's Church to conduct the first confirmation in the new diocese. Ada Archer and Winnifred Beckingsales are the candidates.

1901 - During this last year of Rev. Matthew's pastorate, a small frame Rectory is built at a cost of $1,500, though at the time nothing is paid on it. On Thanksgiving Day, The Rev. Alfred Fletcher becomes Priest-in-Charge.

1902 - A surplice choir is inaugurated under the direction of Mrs. L. F. Doolittle of Los Angeles, the Rectory is paid for, and an enlargement is made to the seating capacity of the Church by an extension of it's chancel.

1906 - The Mission is organized as a Parish and The Rev. Alfred Fletcher is elected the first Rector.

1907 - Fifty feet of property to the north of the existing property is acquired for the purpose of building a larger Church building in the future.

1908 - Under the urgency of the Rector's wife - to whose faith and devotion, under God, the success of the issue was largely due - a canvass is begun for funds with which to build a Church on a somewhat ambitious scale. The old frame Church building, later remodeled as a Parish Hall, and the Rectory are moved to the back of the lot to make room for the new Church.

1910 - In December the corner-stone of the present building is laid with the appropriate services by bishop Johnson. Mr. A. B. Benton of Los Angeles is the architect and the contractor is the Kline Co., also of Los Angeles. Rev. Fletcher influences the design and architectural features of the project with his drawings of churches made while in England on holiday.

The contracted price for the building is $13,844. Of this amount $10,370 is subscribed, $5,694 is paid in cash, and $4,676 is pledged in 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years. The total cost leaves a balance, or debt, of $8,150 which is to be paid by a mortgage to that amount in the Covina Valley Savings Bank. This is subsequently reduced to $6,000.

This year also sees the congregation incorporate under the laws of the State of California as a religious corporation known as "Church of the Holy Trinity Parish." The Church now has "two" names: a legal or corporate name and the ecclesiastical name "The Church of the Holy Trinity, Covina."

1911 - In March, the new indigenous stone Church building of Gothic style architecture is opened for and with Devine Service by Bishop Johnson. It soon becomes a Covina landmark.

Memorial gifts place in the Church were: The stone lectern by Mrs. L. F. Doolittle in memory of her mother; the standard lamps by Mrs. W. H. Collins in memory of her mother; and the stone altar, the reredos, and the windows above the altar given respectively by the rector's family, the architect, and the Sunday School in loving memory of Mrs. Fletcher, the Rector's wife who died prior to the completion of the project.

The members of the vestry in office at the time of the building of the Church are: Rev. Alfred Fletcher, President; Wm. Crook, Senior Warden; George N. Atwood, Junior Warden; A. R. Wans, Treasurer; and Henry Dameral, Clerk. Other officers were George T. Platt, W. H. Collins, H. N. Wells, and L. H. Harris. Mrs. Henry Dameral is Organist and Mrs. H. M. Faulder is Choir Mother.

1950 - Ground breaking ceremonies are conducted by The Rt. Rev. Robert Gooden, Bishop of Los Angeles, for a new Parish Hall and Church offices. The Construction is begun immediately and completed in 1951. Sunday School classes are moved to the Rectory. The Faulder House, where Sunday School classes have been held, is destroyed and the old parish hall (59 years old) is donated to the Girl Scouts and moved to a new location. It is finally demolished in 1989, having lost its usefulness to it's owners and being too expensive to move. A local congregation, intending to use this historic building, finally rejects a $50,000 bid to relocate it.

1960 - Since the Badillo Street Sunday School is over-crowded, a construction project is undertaken to erect the present Sunday School building. The land on the east boundary  of the  property had been acquired earlier for this purpose. Architect and parishioner, John Cashion, is the designer of the structure which is opened early the  following year.

This period also sees the election of Claire M. Wood to the Vestry, becoming the first woman in the congregation to serve in this capacity. A later writer is quoted as saying, "She served with devotion and distinction. This was during the time Dr. Miles D. Dawson was the Rector."

1961 - The Holy Trinity Nursery School for pre-school children is founded. This outreach program serves the needs of the community and enhances the lives of it's children. Although self supporting, the school's 32 year history of service through 1993 is an important part of Hoy Trinity's congregational Christian mission.

1962 - Mr. Kenneth Schildt, a candidate for Holy Orders, is ordained as Priest. The Rev. Schildt, as a postulant sponsored by the Parish congregation, is Holy Trinity's first member to achieve this honorable goal. He later retires in northern California.

1967 - A patio and memorial gardens is inaugurated and constructed thanks to the efforts of St. Anne's Guild. July of this same year sees the completion of the project that now occupies the grounds between the present Church and Parish Hall.

This year also sees the receipt of Holy Trinity's portion of the Westwood H. and Flora A. Collins estates in the amount of $200,000. These two parishioners of the past (See "memorial gifts" and "vestry members" in the year 1911) have left a quarter of their estate to the Church. The Vestry struggles with the administration of this large gift and finally decide to perpetually preserve the principle and use it's income for the ongoing expenses of the Church. As of the 1993 centennial celebration, the fund has thus far provided $245,000 as income to the Parish and the principle of the "Collins Memorial Fund" has grown to nearly $350,000.

1990 - Nature, in the form of a February 28th earthquake, again damages the Church's main building. And again, much like the parishioners of 1892, the congregation responds to the purpose and Christian mission of the Episcopal Church in Covina by repairing the damage to the belfry and reinforcing the main structure at a cost of over $100,000. $35,000 being subscribed to in pledges, fund raisers, and cash and a $75,000 mortgage issued to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Services are moved to the Parish Hall.

The west end of the Parish Hall is remodeled to accommodate the vesting and storage needs of the choir and acolytes. Members of the congregation donate their time, talent and labor to the plan. This work is spearheaded by the Rector, Fr. Thomson, who oversees the project and is it' principle "carpenter" . The final alterations include a bath room, vesting room, storage room and a much needed conference room for vestry meetings and other small parish activities. Rev. Thomson retires shortly thereafter (1992), after serving the parish congregation for nearly 19 years.

Also this year, the Church's nave and altar areas are selected by the city of Hope to be the subject of a pictorial which will appear in the "People Weekly" magazine and other national publications. As background, the Church's beauty is the mythical setting for a real bride who is able to enjoy married life after conquering cancer.

1993 - The Rt. Rev. Frederick Borsch, Bishop of Los Angeles, having recommended and the Vestry concurring: The Rev. Judith Heffron is welcomed and named Priest-in-Charge of the Parish while the congregation searches for a new Rector. She has served diocese at St. George's, La Canada, St. Luke's, Monrovia, and St. Cross, Hermosa Beach, respectively as Associate, Interim Assistant, and Assistant. She has a BA from Westmont University with teaching credentials, a Certificate from Bloy House and a Master of Divinity from Fuller Seminary. Mother Heffron is the congregation's first woman pastor and is providing much needed care and shepherding as it's parishioners ready to celebrate the Church's 100th anniversary.

1997 - In the Diocese of Los Angeles and to the State of California, Holy Trinity Church officially becomes known as Holy Trinity Episcopal Church of Covina.

This same year Holy Trinity enters Cyber Space by launching it's web site. Earl Gibson, Holy Trinity's ministry student at the time, made the web site one of his goals during his internship at Holy Trinity. Earl worked with one of the parishioners to design, publish, and maintain the site. Mr. Gibson was ordained Priest in 2003.

2003 - The domain name www.holytrinitycovina.com is registered and becomes the permanent Internet address for Holy Trinity.

The Rectors of Holy Trinity

Note: Large portions of the early history were taken from unofficial notes in the original Church Registry, and a "History" written by Mrs. Harriett Head in 1933. The balance of the events, now recounted, come from a variety of Church records and publications, as well as personal interviews. This history of The Church of the Holy Trinity, Covina, for the sake of brevity, neglects many events and individuals whose efforts have contributed greatly to the success of the Parish, and to the Glory of God.